Piercing After Care Instructions

Suggested Piercing After Care

How Your Piercing Heals and Looks is Up To You!

Congratulations, you just received a body piercing by a trained professional who cleaned the area to be pierced, used sterile needles and piercing instruments, and the finest implant grade jewelry. Now it is UP TO YOU to take appropriate care of your piercing during the critical healing period.

Always wash your hands before you touch your body piercing and resist the urge to play with your new piercing.

During the initial healing time, do not use hot tubs, swim in the ocean, lakes, rivers, pools, or soak in a tub.

Suggested ORAL Piercing After Care

How Your Piercing Heals and Looks is Up To You!

Congratulations, you just received a body piercing by a trained professional who cleaned the area to be pierced, used sterile needles and piercing instruments, and the finest implant grade jewelry.Now it is UP TO YOU to take appropriate care of your piercing during the critical healing period.

The most important thing to remember in healing an oral piercing is to leave it alone!Try not to play with it or move it around excessively.

Please refrain from oral activities with others for at least two weeks.

We suggest that you refrain from drinking alcohol for 24 hours.

We also suggest that you refrain from smoking or using a straw for at least two weeks.

Ice is probably the biggest help in the minimization of swelling and discomfort.Just let the ice sit on the fresh piercing.DO NOT SUCK ON IT.

If you regularly use mouthwash, it is important not to overdo it.Dilute with water and use it no more than twice per day.

If your downsized piece of jewelry is purchased anywhere other than Accent Tattoo & Piercing, we cannot guarantee your piercing.The reasons for this are simple: we cannot be responsible for an unknown quality of jewelry, jewelry that is not sterile, or improperly fitted jewelry.In the worst cases this may lead to toxic metals being absorbed into your body, improperly fitted jewelry may cause tooth and gum damage, and if not sterile, possible infection.At Accent Tattoo & Piercing we will fit you with the proper size jewelry and we only use the highest quality implant grade stainless steel.

Tattoo FAQs

IS GETTING A TATTOO SAFE?

YES. Nowadays there is an increased awareness of the tattoo environment. Most reputable shops are changing to adapt to today’s higher standards of health and safety.
Ask questions if you are concerned. Make sure your chosen tattoo studio has high standards to make sure you have peace of mind. Is there an autoclave? Do they spore test the autoclave? Are the needles single use? Does the shop look clean? Are gloves being worn and changed often? Where do their contaminated needles go? Ask us, we are happy to show you around We’re here for you!

DOES IT HURT?

Of course, it would be misleading if we told you there was no pain associated with getting a tattoo. Through our experience, we have found that first time customers find getting tattooed isn’t as bad as they thought it would be. The pain is certainly not unbearable. The more relaxed you are, the less painful the tattoo will be. Relax!!!

CAN I GET AN ALLERGIC REACTION FROM THE INK?

Highly unlikely. Our inks are purchased from reputable suppliers and we all use the same kind of ink, so we know what you are getting when you get tattooed by one of our artists.
While it is not impossible to have an allergic reaction, we do ask if you have a history of allergies, or any other conditions with your skin, that you consult your doctor before getting a tattoo.

CAN I GET HEPATITIS OR AIDS FROM A TATTOO?

In a professional licensed studio that is clean and sterile, this isn’t an issue. It takes 100 micro liters of blood and intramuscular punctures to transmit the HIV virus. This is equivalent to several drops of blood. The Center for Disease Control (CDC) states there has never been a documented case of getting aids from a tattoo.
All of our instruments are autoclave sterilized. Needles and pigments are single use only.
Our artists are inoculated against Hepatitis and screened annually for Pathogens and other contaminants.
We would be pleased to explain our sterilization policies and procedures.
If you have questions or would like a tour, just let us know.

IF I GAIN OR LOOSE WEIGHT, WILL IT AFFECT MY TATTOO?

It can affect your tattoo, but since your skin can stretch a lot it would take a significant loss or gain to make any kind of significant difference.

HOW MUCH DOES A TATTOO COST?

Good tattoos are expensive and most shops have minimums. Pick your tattoos carefully, its lasts forever. Spend whatever it costs to get the tattoo that YOU want. Most prices are based on size, where it is going on the body and complexity of the piece.
We do charge hourly for large back pieces, sleeves etc.

WILL MY TATTOO FADE IN THE SUN?

A tattoo done by a top professional will last a lifetime if you follow aftercare steps exactly as we state to you. Sun CAN and WILL ruin your tattoo if you don’t use sunscreen.

Piercing FAQs

We realize this is a lot of information to take in, but at Accent Tattoo and Piercing Inc. we believe that our client’s long term health and well being are of paramount consideration. Should you have materials in your body that are not made for that purpose and could present short and long term health problems or damage? What is the price of your long term health and well being? For these reasons we will only use the highest quality jewelry available.

DOES IT HURT TO GET PIERCED?

Not really, any discomfort you may feel such as pinching, pressure, or perhaps a burning or stinging sensation is extremely brief. Some piercing locations may be slightly more sensitive than others, but the fact is, our piercings are performed skillfully, quickly and gently. Many pierciee’s tend to gather tension and apprehension before their piercing, which adds to mental apprehension which is worse than any sensation being pierced you may experience. We pierce all over the body, all day, every day, and what we hear most often is, “That’s it, that’s what I was so worried about, that was nothing, and it didn’t hurt at all!” It’s too quick to be all that bad, and you will leave with a great piercing saying “Wow that really was kind of fun!”

There are enough terrible stories about unskilled and/or inexperienced piercers in the world. At Accent we can promise a safe, pleasant, clean, personal and professional experience. We cannot say you will receive this level of professionalism elsewhere.

After the piercing most clients leave saying they are in no discomfort. Clients often report that “It feels different with something being there” but that is about it. Some folks experience some intermittent tingling, slight stinging or a pinching sensation for a while afterwards. This can range from minutes to a few days.

Your new piercing will be tender, as is to be expected from most new piercings, more so during the first few cleanings, if you bump it, or handle it roughly (which you aren’t supposed to do anyhow!).

HOW IS THE PIERCING DONE?

All of the piercings here are done using sterile disposable piercing needles. Many of the Piercing locations use forceps, which are applied to hold the area securely for the piercing. These may also help to numb the region by reducing circulation of blood. Certain areas, such as the nasal septum, nostrils, ear rims, Prince Albert and vertical clitoral hood piercings use a hollow tube known as a needle receiving tube. These are locations where forceps are not practical or necessary.

The actual piercing is made using an extremely sharp tri-beveled piercing needle specifically designed for this purpose.

Immediately following the piercing and sometimes during the piercing procedure the jewelry is inserted, pushing the needle out as the jewelry goes in. This is a skill in which our experience and quality internally threaded jewelry can make a big difference regarding your comfort!

WILL IT BLEED?

Most piercings we perform don’t bleed at all, although some bleed a little, and a few bleed quite a bit, usually immediately following the procedure. Certain piercings, such as Prince Alberts tend to bleed off and on for several days. This is perfectly normal.

Other areas, such as the tongue (which is very vascular and quick to heal) don’t usually bleed, but do tend to swell as part of the healing process. Sometimes a body piercing won’t bleed at all during your visit, but may bleed later. There is no reason to be concerned. You can apply direct pressure for a few minutes, using clean paper towels. Also helpful for bleeding piercings is a dry cold compress. Place some crushed ice cubes in a zip top baggie and then wrap with clean paper towels (to keep the condensation from the wound) and apply.

Some piercings that swell or bleed sometimes heal the quickest! But, do not do anything to make a new piercing bleed, this can lead to complications and extended healing times.

WHAT IS THE RISK OF INFECTION?

When your piercing is done here, the risk of infection (if you follow the aftercare precisely as directed) is virtually none. See the information about our studio’s Clean and Sterile Shop.

However, if a piercing is positively identified as infected, it may be advisable to leave the jewelry in so the infection can drain.

Note: many doctors have no training or little to no experience in piercing, and many have, and may not know how to best advise you.

WHAT DO I NEED TO HAVE FOR IDENTIFICATION?

If you are over 18 years old you will need to have a valid picture I.D., such as a state issued driver’s license, passport, I.D. card, military I.D. A valid school photo I.D. is acceptable for minors younger than driving age; please see Piercing Policy on Minors for further information.

Photocopies of any I.D.’s are not acceptable

WHY CAN'T YOU USE AN EAR PIERCING GUN?

The plastic reusable ear piercing guns cannot be sterilized between uses which involves high temperatures and pressure. Most often they aren’t even cleaned between customers! This makes them dangerous, and highly unsuitable in terms of hygiene. Further, the guns insert dull pointed studs which are not designed for body piercing. In fact, they are poorly designed even for ear lobe piercings. The studs are too short for anything other than an earlobe, and even some lobes are too thick for the studs to fit without pinching.

Also of concern is the fact that most people wielding these guns are not trained as body piercers. Education of these individuals is mostly comprised of one and a half to two hours of lecture followed by a couple of piercings. The training is limited to ear lobe piercing. Sometimes a half hour talk from a person who is not a teacher is enough for some to be let loose on unsuspecting victims. Please be careful.

Ear studs are also too thin for body piercings. Very thin jewelry has a tendency to be treated by the body as a splinter, and be pushed to the surface. Also, if thin jewelry were to be pulled (either accidentally or for fun) it would tend to cut in the way a cheese slicer works: (a cheese slicer is a skinny wire that cuts easily with little force). Thicker jewelry (than ear studs) is better accepted by the body, and much less apt to be rejected or ripped out.

We insert and specifically size correct body jewelry to allow room for any swelling and cleaning. Body jewelry is also smooth and has no poking posts or wing nut backings and is therefore far more comfortable in piercings than the usual stud style earrings. We use rings or small barbells instead, for greater comfort, safety and superior healing.

WHY CAN'T YOU USE AN EAR PIERCING GUN?

The plastic reusable ear piercing guns cannot be sterilized between uses which involves high temperatures and pressure. Most often they aren’t even cleaned between customers! This makes them dangerous, and highly unsuitable in terms of hygiene. Further, the guns insert dull pointed studs which are not designed for body piercing. In fact, they are poorly designed even for ear lobe piercings. The studs are too short for anything other than an earlobe, and even some lobes are too thick for the studs to fit without pinching.

Also of concern is the fact that most people wielding these guns are not trained as body piercers. Education of these individuals is mostly comprised of one and a half to two hours of lecture followed by a couple of piercings. The training is limited to ear lobe piercing. Sometimes a half hour talk from a person who is not a teacher is enough for some to be let loose on unsuspecting victims. Please be careful.

Ear studs are also too thin for body piercings. Very thin jewelry has a tendency to be treated by the body as a splinter, and be pushed to the surface. Also, if thin jewelry were to be pulled (either accidentally or for fun) it would tend to cut in the way a cheese slicer works: (a cheese slicer is a skinny wire that cuts easily with little force). Thicker jewelry (than ear studs) is better accepted by the body, and much less apt to be rejected or ripped out.

We insert and specifically size correct body jewelry to allow room for any swelling and cleaning. Body jewelry is also smooth and has no poking posts or wing nut backings and is therefore far more comfortable in piercings than the usual stud style earrings. We use rings or small barbells instead, for greater comfort, safety and superior healing.

WHAT ABOUT "REJECTION?"

There is a minimal risk that your body may refuse to have a foreign object (jewelry) in the place you select. We carefully evaluate all clients to be certain that they are anatomically, occupationally, and otherwise well suited to the piercing selected. For example, if you swim in dirty water, we might decline to pierce you, or you may have an “outie” naval which may be unsuitable to pierce.

The common piercings we do tend to heal very well on most clients. Still, even if we do our job perfectly and you do your aftercare completely and thoroughly, there is a very small chance the piercing will “reject”. In basic terms, your body pushes the jewelry toward the surface, and, if you do not remove the jewelry it will come all the way out. At times, re-piercing behind the scar tissue will result in success.

If you think a piercing is rejecting, it is wise to have an expert examine it. If indeed rejection is occurring, it is typically best to remove the jewelry, rather than allow it to come through the surface on its own. This can result in a split scar, which can be unsightly and may be more difficult to re-pierce later.

HOW LONG WILL MY PIERCING TAKE TO HEAL?

See the chart on approximate initial Healing Times for popular piercings. Initial healing involves cleaning the piercing according to aftercare instructions, with approved products, avoiding bacteria, etc. until your body has the chance to produce cells which form around the inside of the piercing, eventually sealing it off from the body. At that time the piercing is no longer open wound, and it is said to be healed.

A freshly healed piercing is made of more delicate tissue than the rest of the body and it is more easily damaged or opened. You must still be careful and not be overly rough on your newly healed piercing, or it can turn back into a healing piercing (an open wound) and require additional care.

Further healing involves the “toughening up” and “settling in” of the new tissue cells, so that it becomes more like the rest of your body, after this stage, most areas can withstand fairly rough treatment with no ill effects.

WHEN CAN I LEAVE MY JEWELRY OUT, FOR HOW LONG AND WHAT IF I NEED AN X-RAY OR MRI?

If you like your piercings you will leave something in them at all times. Ears tend to stay open well without jewelry on most folks, but the same is NOT true of most body piercings. We do many re-piercings on people who don’t believe this, removing your jewelry, even if you have had a piercing for years, is a trial and error process. If you don’t want the error, don’t do the trial.

There is a device called an Insertion Taper which we can often use to successfully reinsert jewelry on a piercing that has shrunk, but it still needs to be open through and through. It may be impossible for you to shove the jewelry back through, but with the right tools, and skills, reinsertion is often possible. The best solution is to leave something in. If you need an x-ray, MRI, CAT scan, Mammogram or other medical procedure, you can use Tygon or PTFE. These are inert plastic options the same thickness as your jewelry that can be inserted in the piercing to keep the hole open in situations where metal jewelry is not acceptable. It works great!

Body jewelry at Accent is high-quality NON FERROMAGNETIC jewelry that will NOT react in an MRI environment. It won’t get hot, and it won’t behave in a magnetic way. This is not true of most body jewelry, much of which is of poor quality. Unfortunately, many medical practitioners are still undereducated about body jewelry and, unless they have experience in body piercing or the related metallurgy, removal of the metal may be required. Metal body jewelry will show up on the films as a “density” so if they are looking directly in or under the area where you wear jewelry, it is reasonable to change to a plastic option.

WHAT ABOUT PREGNANCY AND BREAST FEEDING?

Many women leave their body jewelry in place, some women leave jewelry in during their entire pregnancy and delivery. If during your pregnancy your piercing(s) becomes uncomfortable, you can replace the jewelry with inert plastics, such as Tygon or PTFE which will bend with your changing body, be more comfortable, and safe to wear. Once your pregnancy is over, you may return to more conventional jewelry.

If you experience no discomfort, you can leave the jewelry as it is. There are women who have given birth with genital jewelry in place!

Milk ducts are a multiplicity of pore-like openings. I have NEVER heard of a single case of women who were prevented from breast feeding as a result of nipple piercings. In questioning, the feedback I’ve received is either it doesn’t change anything at all, or that milk comes from the piercing sites, as well as the milk ducts.

Most women do remove their jewelry to breast feed.

HOW DO I TAKE CARE OF A NEW PIERCING?

We do not list our aftercare on this web-site. We have found that the most comprehensive and accurate information, as well as explanations, come directly from our thoroughly experienced staff. If you have any questions regarding the care of your new piercing, please feel free to stop by or call.

HOW OLD DO I NEED TO BE TO GET PIERCED?

At Accent Tattoo & Body Piercing Inc. we will not pierce children under the age of 12.

WHAT JEWELRY MATERIALS ARE ACCEPTABLE TO PLACE IN MY BODY?

STAINLESS STEEL
There are many manufacturers of body piercing jewelry; unfortunately, many of them are of questionable materials and manufacture. What should you look for in a quality piece of surgical stainless steel jewelry? Surgical stainless steel is a combination of metals (called an alloy), 316 is the number that represents a loose description of “surgical stainless steel.” MANY different grades of stainless steel fall under the designation of 316. This guideline includes rather low-grade metals used for tools and so forth; it is less than desirable for permanent placement in the human body.

The American Society for Testing Materials (ASTM) assigns a number as a method for the manufacturer of a material to create products with a specific purpose. ASTM F – 138 is a specific designation for permanent implant grade surgical stainless steel created with the purpose of leaving it inside the human body. This is the metal from which hip replacement joints and metal pins used in surgery are made. The suffix ‘L’ after the number of the alloy designates low carbon. This is an important distinction for metals that may be used for hypoallergenic requirements. The suffix ‘VM’ specifies the manner in which the metal is created. VM stands for Vacuum Melt which is the process by which the highest level of purity is to be gained in the manufacture of the metal. Non-vacuum melt metals are far more prone to impurities from the surrounding environment. So, for Implant Grade Stainless Steel you would look for the following designation: 316LVM.

Another very important factor to consider is how the jewelry is threaded. Are the threads on the ball or shaft? If the threads are on the shaft this is external threading, if the threads are on the ball this is internal threading. At Accent we use only internally threaded jewelry.

Why is internally threaded jewelry important?

Here are a few reasons:
Internally threaded jewelry passes smooth metal through the piercing as opposed to narrow metal bands, literally reducing wear and tear on your piercing. External jewelry is much more painful inserted into a new piercing.

External jewelry only has 4 or 5 turns of thread, so they tend to unscrew and fall off. Internally threaded jewelry uses double the threads thus lessening the chances of losing the ball, and finer jewelry, (such as Accent uses) tends to “lock” when tightened.

NIOBIUM AND TITANTUM
Niobium and titanium are pure metals and not alloys. Thus, these elements are present on the periodic table (Nb. and Ti.). They have low reactivity and an attractive appearance. Titanium has the added feature of being lightweight and stronger than steel. However, there are a couple of properties that are important to consider:

Polishing: The critical element in the consideration of Niobium and Titanium as body jewelry is the quality of the polish on the metal surface. Both metals tend to have rough, porous surfaces that frequently cause irritation of new or even healed piercings. It is important to obtain all body jewelry with a mirror-like finish – but ESPECIALLY in the case of these metals. Titanium is especially noted for its brutally sharp and porous surface. Improper polishing of these metals results in a microscopic sandpaper-like finish. Be cautious of “cheap” jewelry, very often the cost-cut has been on the polishing and you are the one likely to pay the price. The high polish is also desirable in the effect it has on the coloring – better polish usually results in better colors.

Coloring: The metals are able to be colored by being placed into a solution and then electrified. This process causes a thin layer to form on the surface of the metal that has specific light-refracting properties. We see the rings as colored because this layer slows one (or more) light color as it hits the surface of the ring. Because the surface coating that refracts the light is only microns thick, it does wear off in body areas that are subjected to friction.

GOLD and PLATINUM
Very often we hear the expression “Well, I can only wear gold” Frequently, people have reactions to low-grade metals and find that gold is the solution. It is important for us to understand gold a little better.

First off, gold is an alloy – much like stainless steel, In fact, typical jewelry gold in the U.S. is 14 karat gold. This alloy is only 58% gold! What then, makes up the other 42% of metal present in 14 karat gold? Usually a combination of silver and copper (in yellow gold) or zinc and nickel (in white gold). All of these metals have reactive properties in many people. Therefore, it is not true that gold is more hypoallergenic than high quality surgical steel – on the contrary, surgical steel is less likely to cause reactions in people. On the other hand 18 karat gold is 75% pure gold and only 25% other metals. We carry 14 and 18 karat gold with no nickel and low or no zinc (the most likely problem metals in gold), Our white gold does not use silver but replaces the silver with a better, less-reactive metal, palladium.

Once again, all metals are not the same. Platinum (either pure or alloyed) is perhaps the least reactive metal. In cases where someone is completely unable to wear “normal” metals, they frequently can wear platinum. At the current time platinum jewelry is usually only available as a special order item, and does cost a little more than 18 karat gold.

ACRYLICS
Almost all plastic body jewelry is made from Acrylic (brand names such as Lucite included). Some plastics are known to “off-gas” for many years – potentially seeping toxins into your body. Our Acrylics are approved by the ADA (American Dental Association) lessening this hazard, so they are relatively neutral for most people. We usually recommend that if someone is to wear plastic, that it not be daily-wear jewelry. Always watch for reactions to plastic. Acrylic or nylon should NEVER be placed into a fresh piercing. Always watch for reactions to plastic jewelry (redness or sore external piercings; a swelling and/or sudden break out of mouth sores in an oral piercing.)

GLASS
The industry standard for most glass jewelry is Pyrex (Borosilicate or hard glass). This material is also used to make beakers, test tubes and tobacco pipes. Pyrex glass is able to withstand a large degree of thermal shock (quickly changing from hot/cold or cold/hot), is quite strong, light weight, hypoallergenic and autoclavable making it excellent for piercing jewelry. Glass jewelry is unique and very comfortable to wear; the finish is very smooth which makes for easier insertion and removal. Pyrex glass jewelry does not get as cold as surgical steel which is great for people who live in cold climates. Additionally, Pyrex glass jewelry is great for large gauge piercing and stretching. There are numerous color options, styles, shapes, and designs that can be made which you cannot get in steel, niobium, titanium or organics. Pyrex glass jewelry is a great alternative for those who wear Acrylic or Lucite jewelry which is made from petroleum products that can be absorbed into the skin and for those who don’t want to wear animal products (vegan).

All glass jewelry is not made with Pyrex. Some manufacturers use Soft Glass, such as Soda-Lime Glass or Barium Crystal Glass which contains the element Barium, Barium is very similar to Lead, a reactive element that is undesirable in body jewelry. Pyrex contains no Barium, Lead or Nickel. Soft glass is used for art vases, plates, and paperweights. Pyrex is stronger than Barium Crystal or Soda-Lime glass. Most pieces of Pyrex Glass jewelry (like plugs) will usually bounce when dropped, Barium Crystal or Soda-Lime glass will shatter. Soft Glass does not withstand high temperatures and has very low resistance to thermal shock, which means it cannot be autoclaved safely. Be careful about your choice of glass jewelry, your health and safety are more important than your jewelry. At Accent glass jewelry is mostly Pyrex (Borosilicate).

We also have Fused Quartz glass available. It is not the same (but very similar molecularly) as the natural quartz plugs you may find in shops. Fused Quartz is completely clear with no inclusions, and has many of the same desirable characteristics as Pyrex, except it is stronger and only available clear. Fused Quartz is great for retainers such as Septum pieces, Labret plugs, Navel jewelry, Nostril Retainers, Eyebrow retainers, and Tongue retainers. Retainers are great for surgery, MRI’s, intolerant work places and Airports.

Note: when wearing glass jewelry in other piercings be aware that it can still break if forced to.

WOOD, BONE, QUILL, TUSK, AMBER and HORN
These organic materials have been used for thousands of years by humans all across the globe. Many materials and designs were originally conceived as ritual or ceremonial wear, therefore, some materials and designs are not suited for continuous wear. The nature of some of these materials and the handmade processes leads to slight variation in any given pair. Jewelry may vary slightly and no two pairs will be exactly the same.

WITH BODY JEWELRY OF THIS TYPE, THERE ARE SOME THINGS TO KEEP IN MIND

Porosity: If the piece does not have a smooth and shiny surface, it is likely to irritate even a well healed piercing.

Reactivity: There is never any guarantee that organic materials are neutral for humans. Always pay attention when changing to a new piece – watch for reactions that could result from oils and/or waxes used to treat or seal the piece. Allergic reactions can occur rather swiftly, and are indicated by redness, inflammation, and swelling. Only use these materials in well healed piercings.

Cleaning: All organic materials require some maintenance and care. Typically a soft bristle brush, essential oil (Jojoba or Coconut oils work great) clean cotton cloth, and a little time once a month will ensure the longevity or your organic jewelry. Do not soak organics’ in water, always rinse and dry immediately; do not store organics’ in extreme temperatures or the bathroom and be sure to remove them before bathing or swimming.

Again, under no circumstances should you place organics in fresh or unhealed piercings!